Bolting-cloth cleaner.



Patented Feb. u, I902.

5. w. comss. BOLTING CLOTH CLEANER. I (Application filed Kay 8, 190 0.) (No Model.) 7

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WILLIAM ooMBs, or LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS,

BQLTING-CLOTH creature.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,831, dated February 11, 1902.

Application filed May 3, 1900. Serial No. 16,316. (No modelJ lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to cleaning devices for flour-bolte'rs, and more especially to that type of cleaner used in connection with a rotary or gyratory bolting-machine at the under side of the bolting-surface and to which motion is imparted by the motion of the machine.

Various means have beenv resorted to to keep themeshes of the silk or bolting-cloth open. Probably the most successful of these embodies a sheepskin facing in light contact with the bolting-cloth; but practicaluse of the same discloses the following defectsz' First, the flour passing through the sieve upon the cleaner sifts its way downinto the sheepskin facing, where it accumulates rapidly and eventually packs therein so tightly that the cleaner ceases to perform its work efficiently and must be removed and cleaned by dislodging such flour; second, the sheepskin retains sharp and gritty particles,-which abrade upon and soon wear out the cloth; third, although the facing is under compression between the bolting and supporting surfaces, and therefore for a time properly cleans the surface of the former at all points where said bolting and supporting surfaces are substantially parallel, yet it is a fact that this parallelism is disturbed at oneor more points and the distance between the sifting and supporting surfaces made variable by variationsv in the weight of stock upon the bolting-surface, the

latter, of course, yielding and sinking somewhat to such pressure, and where the distance between said surfaces is least the cleaner is apt to become wedged and perform its functionimproperly, if atall, while if it is made to accommodatesuch conditions its pressure upon the bolting-cloth where the latter is hardly depressed at all is so light that it performs its function inefficiently, and, fourth, the facing being soft wears away rapidly and soon becomes functionless.

My object is to provide a devicewhich cannot become clogged up with the Hour or interfere with the free passage of the latter through the sieve,which will always maintain a light pressure against thebolting-cloth ir-. 5 5 respective of the parallelism between the same and the supporting-surface and which presents less surface than the sheepskin facing for action on and thereby prolongs the period of service of the bolting-cloth. A further object is to produce a cleaning device of simple, cheap, and durable construction. v With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel andpeculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as, hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the body portion of a gyratory bolter containing cleaners embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of a cleaner. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2 with the cleaner proper shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified formof cleaner.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the casing of a bolter, 2 the stocksupply opening, and 3 a plurality of discharge-openings for the tailings and different grades of flour.

4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 designate sieves which increase in fineness in the order named, each sieve comprising a frame 9, a silk boltingcloth 10, stretched across the top of said frame, :a coarse wire-gauze or other foraminous support 11, stretched across the bottom ofrthe frame and substantially parallel with the bolting-cloth, and one or more partitions 12, dividing the frame between the boltingcloth 10 and foraminous support 11 into a plurality of compartments 13, in each of which is located a cleaner free to respond to the various vmovements of the bolter and which in practice keeps the cloth meshes unobstructed and open to the passage therethrough of the stock traveling upon the cloth.

Referring now to the cleaner, A designates a felt or equivalent bufier of circular or other configuration and provided with a hole B. C designates a thimble, preferably of metal and flanged to provide the peripheral groove D, wherein is snugly seated the said buffer. The bottom of the thimble is of slightly-rounded or convex form and provided centrally with a hole or opening E, surrounded by an up turned flange F, said flange being turned upward slightly, so as to provide a rounded surface for contact with the wire-gauze or perforated support 11 and to slide thereon with a minimum of friction. The convex form of the bottom, furthermore, restricts the area of frictional contact with said support.

The cleaner proper consists of an expansive spring Gr, almost hair-like in appearance and of steel or any other suitable metal. This spring by preference is of the spiral type, with its lower end soldered, as at H, or otherwise secured to the thimble, while its upper end is bent inward and downward slightly, as shown at I, or disposed in an equivalent manner in order to eliminate any possible chance of the end touching and abradin g the bolting-s11 rface.

In Fig. 4 I show a modified construction, the same comprising a buffer A, of felt or equivalent material, provided with a hole 13 and a hair-like spring carried by the buffer for contact with the bolting-cloth, said spring consisting of the central portion J, secured to the buffer, the spring-arms K in contact with the bolting-cloth, and thehinge-coils L, integrally uniting parts J and K and holding the latter upward with a light yielding pressure.

lVhere the supporting-surface ll of the sieve is of wire-gauze or perforated metal, I prefer to reinforce the buffer with a metallic thimble, as in Fig. 3, so as to reduce the wear upon said surface.

The frame and partitions of each sieve are usually of wood. For this reason afelt buffer is provided to contact with such surfaces, as metal against wood would soon indent or peck holes in the latter, as will be readily understood.

From the fact that my improved cleaner is of skeleton construction it is obvious that it cannot become clogged up with flour and impede the free operation, and consequently cannot catch and hold gritty particles in contact with the bolting-cloth to the injury of the latter. The thimble and buffer if non-perforated would perhaps permit of the accumulation of flour thereon; but such accumulation could not possibly attain the elevation of the bolting-surface. Furthermore, by the provision of a hole in the buffer and the thimble practically all of the flour passes through the same and the foraminous supporting-surface below. It is clear, therefore,

that the first and second defects of a cleaner embodying a sheepskin facing as enumerated above are avoided.

A cleaner consisting of a spring under light compression between the bolting and supportin g surfaces will automatically accommodate itself to varying distances between said surfaces and bear with an efficient pressure against the bolting-surface at all times and under all conditions, and at the same time having a thin line of contact with the boltingsurface it is always free to slide from one point to another under and in unison with the movement of the bolter, the increased pressure where the greatest depressions of the bolting-cloth occur offering practically a resistance which the impetus given the spring by the motion of the bolter readily overcomes. The spring being of tempered steel or other metal is practically indestructible as far as the action of the bolting-cloth thereon is concerned.

It is to be understood, of course, that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, proportion, detail construction, and arrangement of the parts as shall not be a departure from the spirit and scope or sacrifice any of the advantages of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination with a bolting-sieve, comprising a bolting-cloth, and a foraminous support substantially parallel therewith, of a cleaner confined between the cloth and support, consisting of a buffer resting on the sup port, and a spring secured to the builer and having a thin line of contact with and exerting a yielding pressure against the boltingcloth, and having its upper end bent downward and out of contact with the boltingcloth, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a bolting-sieve, com prising a bolting-surface and a perforated support substantially parallel therewith, of a cleaner confined between said surface and support consisting of a metallic thimble, a bufier surrounding said thimble, and a spring projecting above the thimble and bu flier, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a bolting-sieve, comprisinga bolting-surface and a perforated support substantially parallel therewith, of a cleaner confined between said surface and support comprising a thimble, a buffer surrounding said thimb'le, and a spring secured to the thimble and projecting above the same and the buffer, substantially as described.

4. A cloth-cleaner for sieves adapted to be carried by a foraminous support substantially parallel with a bolti n g-sieve,said cloth-cleaner consisting of a body portion and a resilient coiled-spring member secured thereto and adapted to have a portion of its coils in contact with the cloth, substantially as set forth.

5. A cloth-cleaner for sieves, adapted to be carried by a fora'minons'snpport, arranged substantially parallel with the'bolting-s'ieve,' said cloth-cleaner consisting of a body portion provided on its under side with a shoe, and a, resilient coiled-spring member projecting upwardly from the body portion and adapted to have a portion of its coils incontact with the sieve, snbstantiallyas set forth.

I In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' GEORGE WILLIAM ooMBs.

Witnesses! H; O. Ronenns, G.- Y. THORPE. 

